POLO 4 cylinder 911 engine and 1967 912 almost done

[Chris Pomares]

The MFI pump on the green car is being shipped to Fairchild. The engine is running too lean. We had to guess on the space cam. The 3.2 MFI engine with 46mm throttle bodies instead of 2.7RS's 38's and 41 mm ID SSI's instead of 38's can process a lot of air. The engine was producing 240hp at 15 to 1 at full throttle. It should produce some sporty numbers at 12.5 to 13 to 1 at full throttle. Anything over 250 and I'll be happy. What I like more is the torque. Oh my.

[Chris Pomares]

I'm making up another set of oil coolers. I went too far on the first set. The car holds 13 to 14 quarts of oil. I couldn't get more than 190 degree temps no matter what I did. Drove to the Palm Springs Parade through Las Vegas in 115 degree temps, still 190. And on a 50 degree day, no more than maybe 160 to 170 degrees. These would probably do well on a big six. I prefer these coolers to the Carrera ones on Vintage Longhoods mostly for esthetic reasons. They just look more period correct on the older cars. I've come to the conclusion, that these trombones work very well if you can keep the oil out of the engine and tank long enough. So I'll take them off and either sell them with a spare set of new Elephant crossover lines or hang them in the shop as wall art.
So I'm going from 3 loops on each side to about 1 1/2.

Anyone know if you can dip brass in a zinc tank? The threaded ends are steel, so I gun blue them. If brass can go in a zinc tank I would yellow zinc.

[steve shea]

My climate here in JHWY is about the same as yours in Denver/front range. My 73S with the stock trombone works very well. The engine runs cool even on our hottest summer days. Here about high 80's low 90s. Driving up our passes it may spike a bit but comes right down on the descent. Hope you are good. Haven't been to D in a while. I hear Dave's busy. Skiing is great up here; going on 400" SS

[Chris Pomares]

Steve,
My wife was in Aspen and Beaver Creek all weekend.(4 days)
She said it was very good. Maybe not 400 inches good. Do you have any idea if Dexter W. is still alive and well?
Dave is VERY busy. I’m about to send another car in there this week. 69 Ultra Blau. Say safe and healthy.

Before these coolers I ran a single Carrera cooler and it couldn't keep my oil under 230 plus degrees on a 95 degree day with single digit humidity in Denver's foothills. So all I could do was back off and putter around to keep the temp under 220 degrees. Both of our engines displace 2.4 liters. A stock 2.4 S has a 8.5 compression ratio. My 993 P's and C's are 11.2 or 3. So this engine produces heat.
We'll see what I get with the next set.

[Chris Pomares]

The new oil coolers will go on probably over the next weekend.
I never realized you can zinc brass. I modified trombone oil coolers and had steel threaded ends welded on. The guy who welded on the ends put the lines under 150 PSI. No leaks. I called the company that does my zinc plating and they said it could be done. So here's one of them.
I also drained my oil (3 plus gallons) before removing the valve covers, pan plug, oil tank plug and oil filter.
My oil filter comes apart so I can do an inspection. A little super fine black material on the magnets but not even one speck of metal. Not even the size of the point of a sewing needle. Nothing. While the valve covers are off I removed and will replace the 8 spark plugs. Tomorrow I'll buy the plugs and a case of Champion 10-40 Synthetic blend. Oh and the cam lobes where perfect.

[Chris Pomares]

Everything trial fitted. Good for final install.

[Chris Pomares]

I thought I was running out of things to add to my car. My mistake. I feel much better now.

https://www.jwestengineering.com/Adj...ank_p_112.html

[Chris Pomares]

I just received my perfect 68 Elephant skin tool roll that I had the vinyl replaced in. I matched the color and pattern of the original so close I would have a hard time telling the difference. It really belongs in a 68 or 68L with Elephant hide interior. So it will get listed when I figure out what to list it for. I will also list a small run of tool rolls when I figure out what I have in them.
Here are a few pictures.
Elephant hide first, then the other. I'm not sure what it is but I really like the look and feel of the leather.

[Chris Pomares]

Why a really nice Vintage 911 and 912 is worth serious money and are you making more money than you were 10 to 15 years ago. So are the employees who work in the resto shops. Owners have to recover payroll costs.
Denver shop rates $100 to $275 an hour depending what's being done.
Parts and material costs.
Leases that have doubled and tripled over the last 5 years here in Denver.
Examples.
I asked my interior shop owner how many hours (labor, no materials) to do a full interior including headliner on a Longhood. 200/250 @ $100/hr.
Body work and paint? Probably more than you paid for your car 15 years ago.
My body and paint shop owner just showed me a receipt for $1200.00 for a pint of a special paint! Most high quality paints for these cars are north of 2K a gallon.
Same with engine and transmission rebuilds. Not cheap if done correctly.
These examples are for professional shops that have to cover all the overhead, lease, insurance, payroll, on and on.
If you are a top DIY person, you still have material and parts costs. And what is your time worth? I'm talking to myself here.
If you have some talented friends who can do this stuff on the side at a much lower price, cherish those friendships.
If someone finds a vintage builder car that needs everything and doesn't have the DIY skills. I'll pray for them.
The last 2 competent Porsche MFI/carburetor guys in the greater Denver area that I know of are 79 and 81. Most of the sub 50 folks know how to work on CIS, Bosch, and aftermarket EFI, and give a deer in the headlights look when they see MFI.
So if you own a REALLY nice Longhood good for you. If you don't, find a car that some guy like me has done all the work on it already. Pay serious money once, or you'll spend serious money for the next several years as good shops are really backed up and expensive. This advice is rarely taken as folks infected with VPD, (Vintage Porsche Disease) believe they're impervious to current economics. I used to tell folks to double or triple their high cost estimate they think it will cost. Now I say 3 to 5X's. And 2 years longer to get it done. Shops hate to send business away and typically give VERY optimistic finish dates. Think Hotel California. They're not lying just embellishing some as they're hopeful 2 new super talented hires will somehow appear. Miracles do happen sometimes you know.
I believe super nice Porsche Longhoods, 914-6s, BMW 2002Tiis, first gen M3s, 3.0CSs, Alfas, Renault Alpine A310s, Saab 99 turbos, etc. would all take over 100K for a 50 to 75% resto. So if you have a REALLY nice one good for you.
I do this kind of stuff when I have a couple hours and don't know what to do with myself. These are just my opinions and no more valid than anyone else's.
Oh, and I wish I didn't believe what I just wrote.

PS-If you have VPD please get counseling ASAP.

[Rick Cabell]

All the above is so true…..